A week ago, reports emerged stating that the Oklahoma City Thunder were looking to part ways with Carmelo Anthony this offseason in order to trim their overall payroll and luxury tax bill.
The fact Anthony opted into his $27.9 million deal for the 2018-19 season, alongside the mutual understanding that his scaled-back role with the Thunder isn't what he wants, have dictated that he'll sign with a new team sometime this summer.
One team that has been heavily linked with the Oklahoma City star is the Houston Rockets, which would me being coached by Mike D'Antoni again since he is the head coach of the franchise.
D’Antoni coached Anthony when they were both at the New York Knicks for two seasons from 2011 to 2012.
Their first time together in The Big Apple didn't end well, with D’Antoni recently admitting that the 10-time All-Star pretty much forced him off the Knicks at the time.
You might then that it's odd that the Rockets would be interested in acquiring Melo despite his past relationship with D'Antoni. According to reports, however, that's all behind them.
No Grudges
Yahoo! Sports’ Jordan Schultz reported on Friday that Anthony holds no grudges towards the Rockets head coach and is excited about playing for his former Knicks boss. He also adds that the feeling is mutual for D’Antoni.
Houston has already lost two forwards in free agency, Trevor Ariza to the Phoenix Suns, and Luc Mbah a Moute to the Los Angeles Clippers. This is why they have been linked with Melo as they may look to pursue him as a replacement.
The 34-year-old is coming off his worst season in the NBA, as he posted career lows in scoring average and field goal percentage last season.
The 10-time All-Star averaged 16.2 points on 40.4-percent shooting. However, at this stage of free agency, the Rockets can't be extremely picky about who they sign despite Melo's poor numbers since they've already lost two of their top eight scorers, including a starter in Ariza.
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